Archive for December, 2004

Billions of plastic bags are choking our planet. All of these "free" bags ultimately cost both consumers and the environment plenty:

Each year billions of bags end up as ugly litter.

Eventually they break down into tiny toxic bits polluting our soil, river, lakes and oceans

Production requires vast amounts of oil.

Countless animals needlessly die each year.

Since 2003 ReusableBags.com has been a major force providing facts and news on the global push to reduce plastic and paper bag consumption. Plus, simple actions you can take to help the cause.

Top Facts

Each year, an estimated 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide. That comes out to over one million per minute. Billions end up as litter each year.

According to the EPA, over 380 billion plastic bags, sacks and wraps are consumed in the U.S. each year.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the U.S. goes through 100 billion plastic shopping bags annually. (Estimated cost to retailers is $4 billion)

According to the industry publication Modern Plastics, Taiwan consumes 20 billion bags a year—900 per person.

According to Australia’s Department of Environment, Australians consume 6.9 billion plastic bags each year—326 per person. An estimated .7% or 49,600,000 end up as litter each year.

Environmental Impact Solutions

Hundreds of thousands of sea turtles, In 2001, Ireland consumed 1.2 billion plasticwhales and other marine mammals die bags, or 316 per person. An extremelyevery year from eating discarded plastic successfull plastic bag consumption tax,bags mistaken for food. or Plus Tax, introduced in 2002 reduced consumption by 90%.Approximately 18,000,000 liters of oil have been saved due to this reduced production. Governments around the world are considering implementing similar measures.